PM for development of a standard habitat for every citizen

She said the present government wants to develop livable towns and villages for next generation. "We hope that no people will remain without home," she added.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing the officials of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works during her visit to the ministry at Bangladesh Secretariat here today.

Sheikh Hasina said the housing projects both in public and private sectors should be equipped with all civic facilities and services, and those housing facilities should be developed under a master-plan.

The Prime Minister also asked the officials to go through a master-plan while implementing other infrastructures of public works project for development, beautification and other purposes.

In this regard she asked the engineers, designers and architects of the ministry to attach importance to ventilation and drainage system, wide space between buildings and flats, waste management particularly of the hospitals and internal designing suitable for all especially for disabled and elderly persons.

Sheikh Hasina said the government has taken step for making the existing Detail Area Plan (DAP) of Dhaka City more realistic to cope up with the need of time.

Lakes, water bodies and open spaces should be kept reserved while taking a development plan while a planned low-cost housing system should be developed for poor living in slums scattered across the cities.

The Prime Minister came to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works as part of her plan to visit every ministry for exchanging views with the officials, know about their problems in work, give directives to resolve the problems and bring dynamism in the activities of the ministries.

Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain also spoke on the occasion gave the prime minister an overall picture of the activities of the ministry and its departments.

Secretary of the ministry Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah and senior officials of the ministry and Prime Minister Office were present.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid importance on a proper land management so that agricultural lands are not devoured on housing purposes and development of other infrastructures.

She said hospitals are being established in the residential areas violating the law, which is creating health hazard for local people. "Every hospital should have its waste management system," she added.

"Permission should not be given to construct any hospital and schools in the residential area", Sheikh Hasina said adding that construction of multistoried building in the city's residential areas should be controlled.

She underscored the need for preservation of the buildings with architectural values, saying "However, all dilapidated red buildings constructed during colonial rule should be considered as 'heritage'."

She asked for clearing the 'abandoned buildings' and use the lands for building multistoried residences for government officials and employees.

She said same housing facilities should be put in place in every division, district, upazila and village. "Importance should be given to the planned development of residential zones in the tourist towns," she added.

Pointing out the steps taken by her government for development and beautification of the city, the Prime Minister said, "Landscape of Suharawardy Uddyan should be developed according to the project."

"Hatirjhil was a praiseworthy project of the government. But now it's not being maintained properly," she said adding more attention should be given to the maintenance of the scenic project.

The Prime Minister said the government has undertaken a plan to create a lake at Kuril near the flyover. She asked the officials for taking immediate measures for the lake according to the plan. "Otherwise, unscrupulous grabbers would engross the land," she said.

Sheikh Hasina asked the officials to take stern action against the use of footpaths for parking of cars and ramp for construction of roadside buildings.